Workshops

Higher Safety run a range of project workshops, aimed at focussing the project team on the significant and unusual Work at Height issues on the project. These are best started at concept design stage, for maximum benefit, but they can be structured and delivered at any stage of a project. Not only do they allow the team to predict the work at height pinch points within the design and planning, but they also serve to weld the project team together, frequently improving communication between isolated package contractors.

Design Stage Workshops

Higher Safety regularly conduct design workshops for the project teams on new-build and refurbishment construction projects. These involve assembling as many of the design team as possible, and capturing as much of the design detail as is available. The design team will often include the principal architect, structural designer, the cladding and services designer/contractor, the frame contractor, the lift designer and BMU installer, together with the Principal Contractor and sometimes the Client. We will of course also include the CDM coordinator or his equivalent.

The workshop objective is to identify those significant and unusual work at height elements within the project that require early focus. These often span the traditional work packages, and significant benefits can accrue from their early identification. Our focus is additionally to help the designers consider “how to build” when they have decided “what to build.”

Planning Stage and Method Statement Review Workshops

These workshops will often be run as the project is starting on site. Here the fundamentals of the design have been agreed, and the various package contractors need to consider “how” they intend to build the project in some detail. The traditional work package divisions produce limited constructive dialogue at the package interface, and yet this is where most opportunity lies. For example, most clients pay between three and five times for edge protection on a new build project, as there is a constant need to move it.

To run these workshops, we assemble the primary package contractors, along with the package designer, and the principal contractor. We again focus on the significant and unusual aspects of the design, and on the package interfaces and temporary works. Here devil is in the detail and its early identification can save significant time and money.